High-powered Myanmar team due in August

FE Report
A high-powered delegation from Myanmar will visit Bangladesh soon to push the move forward for signing the preferential trade agreement (PTA) between the two countries, a senior official said Thursday.
"We hope a high-level team from Myanmar will visit the country in August next. They will discuss the PTA with our officials," Senior Secretary of the ministry of commerce (MoC) Hedayetullah Al Mamoon told the FE after emerging from an inter-ministerial meeting held at the conference room of the ministry on the day.  
He said the meeting reviewed the potential of the PTA with Myanmar under which both the countries are to pare back duties to enhance trade.
It also discussed issues regarding expansion of border trade, cooperation in various sectors including agriculture, food, fisheries, power and mineral resources, and introduction of direct shipping service between the two nations.
If the two countries sign the PTA, Bangladesh will be able to import a good number of perishable items, especially onion and ginger during the crisis period.
The Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC) initially suggests trading of goods with Myanmar. It says the country moves forward to negotiate with the next-door- neighbour aimed at signing a bilateral PTA which may initially cover only trade of goods. And such an agreement may lead to exchange of 'positive list of products'.
Bangladesh's major exports to Myanmar include frozen food, agri and chemical products, leather, jute goods, knitwear, woven garments, rice, lentils, fish and timber.
The country imports animals, vegetable products, prepared foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, plastics, rawhides and skin, leather, wood and articles of woods, footwear, textiles, and articles of human hair from Myanmar.  
During the Joint Trade Commission meeting last year, the two countries agreed to increase the volume of annual bilateral trade from $ 100 million to $ 500 million.
Bangladesh exported goods worth $ 13.67 million to Myanmar and imported goods of $ 484 million in the fiscal year 2012-13.
    talhabinhabib@yahoo.com